Defense Contractor Selects Texas Site Over California County Project

A defense contractor announced Friday it will build a $3.2 billion autonomous shipyard in Brownsville, Texas, instead of Solano County, California. The facility is projected to create 10,000 jobs. The Texas project was originally considered for eastern Solano County as part of a larger plan to develop more than 50,000 acres into an economic hub with advanced manufacturing and housing.

The company behind the Solano plan, California Forever, has purchased land valued at $1 billion but has not yet broken ground.

Forever aims to build a city with up to 400,000 residents and more than 100 million square feet of commercial and industrial space. The plan includes shipbuilding facilities along the Sacramento River and advanced manufacturing operations. The project is funded by Flannery Associates, whose investors include Laurene Powell Jobs, Michael Moritz, Reid Hoffman, Marc Andreessen, and the Collison brothers.

Supporters say the development would address housing shortages and revive manufacturing in the region.

Two former state legislators said they are drafting a bill to reduce regulatory barriers after the Texas announcement. One stated that other shipbuilders have expressed interest in the Solano site if the legislation passes. A union representative said the project could create construction and permanent industrial jobs for local workers.

Opponents have raised concerns about the project's impact on agricultural water access and local communities.